The Sacrifice And Service Of Faith

by G. Jarvie | Category: General | Dec 1962

"If I am offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all" (Philippians 2.17).

Paul is here referring to the drink offering which was offered with other offerings (the burnt offering and the peace offering) (Numbers 15. 1-11). He likens the losing of his life to the drink offering. A life that is not sacrificed for Christ is a lost life, and a life that is not spent in acceptable service to God is also a futile and wasted life. But only faith will enable us to lose our lives for Christ's sake and the gospel's sake.

Everywhere around us our fellow men are living for themselves and for worldly pleasure and advancement. They are tersely described in the Scriptures as "lovers of self, lovers of money" (2 Timothy 3.2). This attitude of mind is so universal, that the disciple is an odd man in the world. Because of this world-feeling of selfishness, the young disciple often has a struggle to gain his feet in the life of faith. He sees so many who are living for themselves, that he finds it difficult to yield his own life unreservedly to the Lord, to walk by faith.

However, a little logical thinking will balance the mind of the disciple. Compared with eternity, this life is very short indeed, and whatever a man may get for himself during this life, he can take nothing with him. In the concise reasoning of Paul, "We brought nothing into the world, for neither can we carry anything out" (1 Timothy 6.7). That is sound logic! Then also the pleasures of this life are often marred by sickness and disappointment. Those who set out to please themselves are often the most frustrated people. Even those who do social or humanitarian work for others, have more joy and satisfaction in life than the lovers of self and lovers of money.

But the disciple of the Lord Jesus is not merely a humanitarian worker, although he should be zealous in good works. The first claim upon his life is not of humanity. It is the claim of Christ, the claim of the nail-pierced Hands. We may live unto ourselves, or we may live unto Christ. That is the choice before us. Sacrifice comes before service, or, rather, true service is sacrifice. It is the yielded life, the life of faith. Service which is not sacrificial is without value, and sacrifice which is not the result of faith and love is equally valueless.

Young disciple, the Lord Jesus claims your life to use it as He will. Are you willing to give it to Him? Are you willing to lose it in the sacrifice and service of faith? You may have certain ambitions in your life. Are you willing to surrender all your ambitions for a greater ambition, the ambition to be well-pleasing to Christ? (2 Corinthians 5.9). Your earthly ambitions may be perfectly right, but being earthly, they can only last for the short period of the present life.

So there lies before you a sacrifice and service which can only be seen by faith. No one can tell you what this sacrifice and service will mean for you, but you can certainly trust the Lord to use your life in the best way, whether it be at home or abroad. You will find as you step out in the sacrifice and service of faith, that the way will open before you, for the work that the Lord has for you. He knows what you can do, better than you do yourself. You will see His leading, both by the urge upon your own spirit, and by the circumstances of life.

Do not be deceived by the empty futile lives of those who live for themselves. The joy they have in their way of life is short-lived, for God has decreed that vanity will follow their steps (Ecclesiastes 11.9, 10; Romans 8.20). Step out by faith, and the worth-while life, the life indeed, will be your portion, now and for eternity.

G. Jarvie | Dec 1962
General